Dismissed by many as a populist in the image of Hugo Chávez, Ecuador’s president has disrupted the stereotype and refuses easy characterizations about the role of markets and the economy. By Katie Llanos-Small

Astute decision making became more important in 2014 as investor concern about emerging markets grew, Mexico’s reforms took shape and Brazil’s elections paused deals. LatinFinance selects the deals and institutions that managed those hurdles most effectively